Reading does that to you
by NikkiGilbert180
Summary: Dolores had yet again found an evil twisted way to expose Harry Potter and his friends. Can he survive whatever she was planning ? And what's with Jamie and Fred ? And who are the kids who came in Flash. And Sirius reunited by his...love ? (I know sucky summary but bear with me.)
1. Trealawney's Prophecy

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter but I do own Jamie black this story relates to my other time-travel Harry Potter fanfic. It is not necessary to read that first but if you do want to read than you are most welcome. Also I own my other OC**

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**A/N: I know I'm supposed to work for 'Trip To Past Can Change' but I just wanted to try 'Reading Books' fan fiction, It's starts from Prisoners of Azkaban since many people didn't wrote with OC in other books except for Philosopher Stone. Also there would be some twists and turns. Following Format for the books:-**

**Prisoner of Azkaban (only few main chapters though)**

**Goblet of Fire (This too consists of few chapters)**

**Order of Phoenix ( this would start from beginning to end)**

**Half Blood Prince (Main chapters again) **

**And lastly whole Deathly Hallows. **

**Hope you enjoys!**

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**Summary : Dolores had yet again found an evil twisted way to expose Harry Potter and his friends. Can he survive whatever she was planning ? And what's with Jamie and Fred ? And who are the kids who came in Flash. And Sirius reunited by his...love ?**

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Dolores Umbridge had a plan. A great plan indeed to expose the attention-seeking-lying-brat Harry Potter. Just because he had a stupid scar over his forehead doesn't mean that he is special. And what to say about his crime in partner class-disturbing-brat Jamie black, murder's daughter and Potter's crime in partner, she was n exception too.

Umbridge took every chance she got to discriminate them and show whole student body of Hogwarts that Potter is nothing but lying brats and to prove this she had got a set of books from few people who claimed to be future well wishers. Apparently that, morning Umbridge got documents about Harry Potter and two whole books about he and she had already checked to find out that Harry was not as he claimed to be.

She had called up whole Hogwarts to read the books that afternoon along with some ministry officials and few people those well wishers wanted to bring up. Perhaps to show that He-who-must-not-be-named had not returned and Potter and Black are two lying brat.

Umbrigde took the documents as well as books carefully in her hand with her awfully girly smirk. She examined the books and documents from afar and then smirked, not her usual girly smirk but her evil smirk.

Harry waked down the corridor leading to Great Hall. Jamie, Hermione and Ron were walking on either side of him. All classes were cut short today, and they were told to be gathered in Great Hall for something important

The quartet walked into Great Hall and made their way to Gryffindor Table. Taking seats next to Neville and Ginny.

Harry looked around Great Hall his eyes' fell upon ministry officials. Then minutes later, ex-Auror Moody, Tonks, Remus Lupin along with snuffles, Bill, Charlie, Molly and Arthur arrived in hall Before Jamie or Hermione could ask him 'what's happening?' Umbridge stood up and made a 'hem, hem' noise and the hall fell silent at that stupid sound.

Once Umbridge had full attention from students she started talking, "Well" in her sick false sweet tone, "Today we will finally know the truth about Harry Potter."

Then in instant students started muttering and turning to Harry who looked uncomfortably shifted in his seat. Beside him Hermione gasped and murmured something like, 'that evil twisted cockroach' Harry paled.

"Everything. About Sirius Black and tournament. Everything" Umbridge smiled her sickening sweet smile at Harry. Beside him Jamie was constantly cussing the evil pink toad. The order members glared at her even thee twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes was gone. Snuffles growled at her.

"This is not good mate" whined Ron. Harry was barely listening, everything thing would be revealed...then they would know about Voldemort and...

"We shall start now" Umbridge announced.

**"Professor Trelawney's Prediction"** Umbridge read.

"She actually makes a real prediction?" Fred asked Harry in surprised.

Harry nodded staring into nothing

**Harry's euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating; as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry, and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gob stones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.**

**But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to stay inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working; half of the Hall looked shocked to the Weasley Twins' had been working, while the Professors' rose they're eyebrows.**

**They were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Percy was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered.**

**As Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic, he needed top grades. He was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings**.

The Weasleys' looked angry at the reminder of their brother.

**In fact, the only person who seemed more anxious than Percy was Hermione.**

Harry and Ron snorted, that was nothing new. Hermione glared at him.

**Harry and Ron had given up asking her how she was managing to attend several classes at once, but they couldn't restrain themselves when they saw the exam schedule she had drawn up for herself. The first column read:**

**Monday**

**9 o'clock, Arithmancy 9 o'clock, Transfiguration**

**Lunch**

**1 o'clock, Charms**

**1 o'clock, Ancient Runes**

"What?" nearly everyone in the Hall asked.

The quartet only smirked. Umbridge and Fudge looked annoyed, that they were still managing to keep secrets from them. But it wouldn't be like that for long.

**"Err — are you sure you've copied down these times right?"**

**"What?" snapped Hermione, picking up the exam schedule and examining it? "Yes, of course I have."**

**"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" said Jamie.**

**"No," said Hermione shortly. "Have either of you seen my copy of Numerology and Gramatica?"**

**"Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," said Ron, but very quietly.**

**Hermione started shifting heaps of parchment around on her table, looking for the book. Just then, there was a rustle at the window and Hedwig fluttered through it, note clutched tightly in her beak.**

**"It's from Hagrid," said Harry ripping the note open. "Buck beak's appeal - it's set for the sixth."**

The Slytherins' smiled smugly at the mention of the beast.

**"That's the day we finish our exams," said Hermione, still looking everywhere for her Arithmancy book.**

**"And they're coming up here to do it," said Harry, still reading from the letter. "Someone from the Ministry of Magic - and an executioner."**

Everyone except the Ministry Members, the trio, and Professors' gasped.

**Hermione looked up, startled.**

**"They're bringing the executioner to the appeal! But that sounds as though they've already decided!"**

**"Yeah, it does," said Harry slowly.**

**"They can't!" Ron howled. "I've spent ages reading up stuff for him, they can't just ignore it all!"**

**But Harry had a horrible feeling that the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures had had its mind made up for it by Mr. Malfoy.**

**Draco, who had been noticeably subdued since Gryffindor triumph in the Quidditch last, seemed to regain some of his old swagger over the next few days.**

Harry, Jamie, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny growled.

**From sneering comments Harry overheard, Malfoy was certain Buck beak was going to be killed, and seemed thoroughly pleased with him for bringing it about.**

**It was all Harry could do to stop himself imitating Hermione and hitting Malfoy in the face on these occasions.**

"Why didn't you hit him?" Cho asked making Harry flush. Malfoy glared at Harry from across the hall. If his father knew about this...

**And the worst thing of all was that they had no time or opportunity to go and see Hagrid, because the strict new security measures had not been lifted, and Harry didn't dare retrieve his Invisibility Cloak from below the one-eyed witch.**

Harry groaned as everyone in the Great Hall turned to look at him. One of his secrets came out.

"Invisibility Cloak?" someone from the Ravenclaw table asked. Harry remained silent, becoming angry that one of his secrets' had come out.  
"Aha! Minister a silly child like Potter cannot keep a precious gift like invisibility cloak" said Umbridge in her sweet voice as if addressing to a child.  
"Harry's not silly!" exclaimed Ron, his siblings were shocked by his outburst, and even Ron himself was shocked.  
"Besides! You evil Toad, you cannot take Harry's cloak it's his Family Heirloom!" exclaimed Jamie while the smug face of toad turned into a sweet voice again.  
"Detention! Miss Black tonight at 8" said the toad. That was last for Hermione she snapped and she was about to yell at Umbridge but stopped when Ron squeezed her hand.

Jamie sent them both a knowing look, but only Ron saw that and he looked away blushing. Jamie smirked at him.

**Exam week began and an unnatural hush fell over the castle. The third-years emerged from Transfiguration at lunch-time on Monday limp and ashen-faced, comparing results and bemoaning the difficulty of the tasks they had been set, which had included turning a teapot into a tortoise.**

**Hermione irritated the rest by fussing about how her tortoise had looked more like a turtle, which was the least of everyone else's worries.**

**"Mine still had a spout for a tail, what a nightmare ..."**

**"Were the tortoises supposed to breathe steam?"**

A few students' laughed at this.

**Then, after a hasty lunch, it was straight back upstairs for the Charms exam. Hermione had been right; Professor Flit wick did indeed test them on Cheering Charms. Harry slightly overdid his out of nerves and Ron, who was partnering him, ended up in fits of hysterical laughter and had to be led away to a quiet room for an hour before he was ready to do the Charm himself.**

The Gryffindor table laughed while Ron blushed. Some people were staring at them, was the 'Golden Quartet' just like them?

**After dinner, the students hurried back to their common rooms, not to relax, but to start revising for Care of Magical Creatures, Potions and Astronomy.**

**Hagrid presided over the Care of Magical Creatures exam the following morning with a very preoccupied air indeed; his heart didn't seem to be in it at all. He had provided a large tub of Flobberworms for the class, and told them that, to pass the test, their Flobberworm had to still be alive at the end of one hour.**

Umbridge glanced at Harry. He gave his coldest glare to Umbridge, who stared back hard at him while Harry glared at her.

**As Flobberworms flourished best if left to their own devices, it was the easiest exam any of them had ever sat, and gave Harry, Ron and Hermione plenty of opportunity to speak to Hagrid.**

**"Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told them, bending low on the pretense of checking that Harry's flobberworm was still alive. "Bin cooped up too long. But still… we'll know day after tomorrow — one way or the other —"**

"They're going kill Buck beak" Cho said disgusted.

**They had Potions that afternoon, which was an unqualified disaster. Try as Harry might, he couldn't get his Confusing Concoction to thicken while Jamie's Potion was perfect, and Snape, standing watch with an air of vindictive pleasure, scribbled something that looked suspiciously like a zero onto Harry's notes before moving away towards Jamie and grudgingly giving her full marks.**

Jamie looked smirked at that, Snape looked at Jamie and glared. That kid was nothing like her mother.

**Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning, in which Harry scribbled everything Florean Fortes cue had ever told him about medieval witch-hunts, while wishing he could have had one of Fortes cue's coconut sundaes**

Ron stomach growled loudly at that, making the people sitting close to him laugh.

**With him in the stifling classroom.**

**Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sun burnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over.**

**Their second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defense against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun,**

"It was fun," Neville said softly.

**where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a Grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a Hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new Boggart.**

"What if someone freezes up?" Fudge snapped.

No one bothered to answer him.

**"Excellent, Harry," Lupin muttered as Harry climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks."**

**Hermione beamed at that.**

**Flushed with his success, Harry hung around to watch Ron and Hermione. Ron did very well until he reached the Hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire.**

**Hermione did everything perfectly until she reached the trunk with the Boggart in it. After about a minute inside it, she burst out again, screaming.**

"What happened?" The Twins' and Ginny asked worried.

**"Hermione!" said Lupin, startled. "What's the matter?"**

**"P-P-Professor McGonagall!" Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. "She-she said I'd failed everything!"**

Everyone busted out laughing while Hermione hit Harry and Ron at the back of their heads.

**As for Jamie she did excellent in Defense she did almost everything correct.**

**It took a little while to calm Hermione down. When at last she had regained a grip on herself, she, Harry, Jamie and Ron went back to the castle. Ron was still slightly inclined to laugh at Hermione's Boggart, but an argument was averted by the sight that met them on the top of the steps.**

**Cornelius Fudge, sweating slightly in his pinstriped cloak, was standing there staring out at the grounds. He started at the sight of Harry.**

**"Hello there, Harry!" he said. "Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?"**

**"Yes," said Harry. Hermione and Ron, not being on speaking terms with the Minister of Magic, hovered awkwardly in the background.**

**"Lovely day," said Fudge, casting an eye over the lake. "Pity… pity…"**

**Harry looked at Fudge who was avoiding his eyes. Why won't Fudge accept that he was back...?**

**He sighed deeply and looked down at Harry.**

**"I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Harry. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad Hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in."**

**"Does that mean the appeal's already happened?" Jamie interrupted, stepping forward.**

**"No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon," said Fudge, looking curiously at Ron.**

**"Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!" said Ron stoutly. "The Hippogriff might get off!"**

**Before Fudge could answer, two wizards came through the castle doors behind him. One was so ancient he appeared to be withering before their very eyes; the other was tall and strapping, with a thin back mustache. Harry gathered that they were representatives of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures,**

"Buck beak wasn't dangerous!" Harry, Ron, Jamie and Hermione partially yelled

**Because the very old wizard squinted toward Hagrid's cabin and said in a feeble voice, "Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this… Two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?"**

**The black-mustached man was** **fingering something in his belt; Harry and Jamie looked and saw that he was running one broad thumb along the blade of a shining axe. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione nudged him hard in the ribs and jerked her head toward the entrance hall.**

**"Why'd you stop me?" said Ron angrily as they entered the Great Hall for lunch. "Did you see them? They've even got the axe ready! This isn't justice!"**

**"Ron, your dad works for the Ministry, you can't go saying things like that to his boss!" said Hermione, but she too looked very upset.**

Ron in the room opened his mouth to say something, but snapped it shut when Harry gave him a glare.

**"As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time, and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buck beak…"**

**But Harry could tell Hermione didn't really believe what she was saying. All around them, people were talking excitedly as they ate their lunch, happily anticipating the end of the exams that afternoon, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione, lost in worry about Hagrid and Buck beak, didn't join in.**

**Harry's, Jamie's and Ron's last exam was Divination; Hermione's, Muggle Studies. They walked up the marble staircase together; Hermione left them on the first floor and Harry, Jamie and Ron proceeded all the way up to the seventh, where many of their class were sitting on the spiral staircase to Professor Trelawney's classroom, trying to cram in a bit of last-minute studying.**

**Hermione looked at Harry, Jamie and Ron in a disapproving way. They always did thing last minute.**

**"She's seeing us all separately," Neville informed them as they went to sit down next to him. He had his copy of Unfogging the Future open on his lap at the pages devoted to crystal gazing. "Have either of you ever seen anything in a crystal ball?" he asked them unhappily.**

**"Nope," said Ron in an offhand voice. He kept checking his watch; Harry knew that he was counting down the time until Buck beak's appeal started.**

**First one among Harry, Jamie and Ron was Jamie. She reckoned that her exam was average neither good nor bad, but when Ron and Harry asked her what Trelawney asked, Jamie refused to say anything. The line of people outside the classroom shortened very slowly. As each person climbed back down the silver ladder, the rest of the class hissed, "What did she ask? Was it okay?"**

**But they all refused to say.**

**"She says the crystal ball's told her that if I tell you, I'll have a horrible accident!" squeaked Neville as he clambered back down the ladder toward Harry and Ron, who had now reached the landing.**

Hermione rolled her eyes. Why didn't they just drop the class like she did? It was just a bunch of non-sense.

**"That's convenient," snorted Ron. "You know, I'm starting to think Hermione was right about her" — he jabbed his thumb toward the trapdoor overhead — "she's a right old fraud."**

**"Yeah," said Harry, looking at his own watch. It was now two o'clock. "Wish she'd hurry up…"**

**Parvati came back down the ladder glowing with pride.**

**"She says I've got all the makings of a true Seer," she informed Harry and Ron. "I saw loads of stuff… Well, good luck!"**

"You have to predict death, and you'll pass with flying colors," Lee said.

"Should've done that..." Ron mumbled.

She hurried off down the spiral staircase toward Lavender.

**"Ronald Weasley," said the familiar, misty voice from over their heads. Ron grimaced at Harry and climbed the silver ladder out of sight. Harry was now the only person left to be tested. He settled himself on the floor with his back against the wall, listening to a fly buzzing in the sunny window, his mind across the grounds with Hagrid.**

**Finally, after about twenty minutes, Ron's large feet reappeared on the ladder.**

**"How'd it go?" Harry asked him, standing up.**

**"Rubbish," said Ron. "Couldn't see a thing, so I made some stuff up. Don't think she was convinced, though…"**

**"Meet you in the common room," Harry muttered as Professor Trelawney's voice called, "Harry Potter!"**

**The tower room was hotter than ever before; the curtains were closed, the fire was alight, and the usual sickly scent made Harry cough as he stumbled through the clutter of chairs and table to where Professor Trelawney sat waiting for him before a large crystal ball**

Everyone listened excitedly. It wasn't everyday you heard what happened to Harry Potter in class.

"**Good day, my dear," she said softly. "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb… Take your time, now… then tell me what you see within it…"**

**Harry bent over the crystal ball and stared, stared as hard as he could, willing it to show him something other than swirling white fog, but nothing happened.**

"Make it up, Harry" George said and Fred and Jamie nodded. They both ignored Hermione's and the Professors' looks.

**"Well?" Professor Trelawney prompted delicately. "What do you see?" The heat was overpowering and his nostrils were stinging with the perfumed smoke wafting from the fire beside them. He thought of what Ron had just said, and decided to pretend**

The professors' and Hermione looked at Harry and Ron in a vert disapproving way.

Harry and Ron looked at them innocently; Only Harry's innocent look actually looked innocent; Ron just looked guilty.

"**Err —" said Harry, "a dark shape… um…"**

**"What does it resemble?" whispered Professor Trelawney. "Think, now…"**

**Harry cast his mind around and it landed on Buck beak.**

**"A Hippogriff," he said firmly.**

**"Indeed!" whispered Professor Trelawney, scribbling keenly on the parchment perched upon her knees. "My boy, you may well be seeing the outcome of poor Hagrid's trouble with the Ministry of Magic! Look closer… Does the Hippogriff appear to… have its head?"**

People with weak stomachs' looked sick.

**"Yes," said Harry firmly.**

**"Are you sure?" Professor Trelawney urged him. "Are you quite sure, dear? You don't see it writhing on the ground, perhaps, and a shadowy figure raising an axe behind it?"**

**"No!" said Harry, starting to feel slightly sick.**

"I think we all are," Katie Bell said looking slightly green.

**"No blood? No weeping Hagrid?"**

**"No!" said Harry again, wanting more than ever to leave the room and the heat. "It looks fine, it's — flying away…" Professor Trelawney sighed.**

**"Well, dear, I think we'll leave it there… A little disappointing… but I'm sure you did your best."**

**Relieved, Harry got up, picked up his bag and turned to go, but then a loud, harsh voice spoke behind him.**

**"IT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT."**

Everyone glanced at each other. The Ministry Members looked curious.

'What was happening?' was in everyone's mind except Harry's.

**Harry wheeled around. Professor Trelawney had gone rigid in her armchair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth sagging.**

**"S — sorry?" said Harry.**

**But Professor Trelawney didn't seem to hear him. Her eyes started to roll. Harry sat there in a panic. She looked as though she was about to have some sort of seizure. He hesitated, thinking of running to the hospital wing —**

**And then Professor Trelawney spoke again, in the same harsh voice, quite unlike her own: "THE DARK LORD LIES ALONE AND FRIENDLESS, ABANDONED BY HIS FOLLOWERS. HIS SERVANT HAS BEEN CHAINED THESE TWELVE YEARS. TONIGHT, BEFORE MIDNIGHT…**

**THE SERVANT WILL BREAK FREE AND SET OUT TO REJOIN HIS MASTER. THE DARK LORD WILL RISE AGAIN WITH HIS SERVANT'S AID, GREATER AND MORE TERRIBLE THAN EVER HE WAS. TONIGHT… BEFORE MIDNIGHT… THE SERVANT… WILL SET OUT… TO REJOIN… HIS MASTER…"**

Everyone gasped, a few glancing at Harry who didn't seem to notice.

**Professor Trelawney's head fell forward onto her chest. She made a grunting sort of noise. Harry sat there, staring at her. Then, quite suddenly, Professor Trelawney's head snapped up again.**

**"I'm so sorry, dear boy," she said dreamily, "the heat of the day, you know… I drifted off for a moment…"**

"She doesn't know that she made a prediction." Cho quickly realized.

**Harry sat there, staring at her.**

**"Is there anything wrong, my dear?"**

**"You — you just told me that the — the Dark Lord's going to rise again… that his servant's going to go back to him."**

**Professor Trelawney looked thoroughly startled.**

**As did everyone in the Great Hall.**

**"The Dark Lord? He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? My dear boy, that's hardly something to joke about… Rise again, indeed —"**

**"But you just said it! You said the Dark Lord —"**

**"I think you must have dozed off too, dear!" said Professor Trelawney. "I would certainly not presume to predict anything quite as far-fetched as that!"**

**Harry climbed back down the ladder and the spiral staircase, wondering… had he just heard Professor Trelawney make a real prediction? Or had that been her idea of an impressive end to the test?**

"I don't think so Brother" Jamie said shaking his head.

**Dumbledore was looking at Harry. Why didn't he tell anyone? Is that how much he didn't trust people?**

**Five minutes later he was dashing past the security trolls outside the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, Professor Trelawney's words still resounding in his head. People were striding past him in the opposite direction, laughing and joking, heading for the grounds and a bit of long-awaited freedom; by the time he had reached the portrait hole and entered the common room, it was almost deserted. Over in the corner, however, sat Ron and Hermione.**

**"Professor Trelawney," Harry panted, "just told me —"**

**But he stopped abruptly at the sight of their faces.**

**"Buck beak lost," said Ron weakly. "Hagrid's just sent this.**

"NO!" The three houses cried except Slytherin, Umbridge, and Fudge who were grinning from ear to ear at that.

**Hagrid's note was dry this time, no tears had splattered it, yet his hand seemed to have shaken so much as he wrote that it was hardly legible.**

**Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset. Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it.**

**Hagrid**

**"We've got to go," said Harry at once. "He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!"**

**"Sunset, though," said Ron, who was staring out the window ill a glazed sort of way. "We'd never be allowed… especially you, Harry…" Harry sank his head into his hands, thinking.**

**"If we only had the Invisibility Cloak…"**

"Can we borrow your invisibility cloak Harry?" The Twins asked. A lot of people were staring at him excepting.

"No" was the response.

"Where is it?" said Hermione.

**Harry told her about leaving it in the passageway under the one-eyed witch.**

**"… if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble," he finished.**

**"That's true," said Hermione, getting to her feet. "If he sees you… How do you open the witch's hump again?"**

**"You — you tap it and say, 'Dissendium,'" said Harry. "But —"**

**Hermione didn't wait for the rest of his sentence; she strode across the room pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight.**

**"She hasn't gone to get it?" Ron said, staring after her.**

**She had. Hermione returned a quarter of an hour later with the silvery cloak folded carefully under her robes.**

**"Hermione, I don't know what's gotten, into you lately!" said Ron, astounded. "First you hit Malfoy, and then you walk out on Professor Trelawney —"**

The Professors' raised their eyebrows. Hermione flushed when several people turned to look at her.

"Yes! I have corrupted you!" cried Jamie.

"We like the new Hermione" The Twins said smiling at her.

Hermione looked rather flattered.

**They went down to dinner with everybody else, but did not return to Gryffindor Tower afterward. Harry had the cloak hidden down the front of his robes; he had to keep his arms folded to hide the lump. They skulked in an empty chamber off the entrance hall, listening, until they were sure it was deserted. They heard a last pair of people hurrying across the hall and a door slamming.**

**Harry and Jamie glanced at each other, they heard themselves going to into the broom closet.**

**Jamie poked her head around the door.**

**"Okay," she whispered, "no one there — cloak on —"**

**Walking very close together so that nobody would see them, they crossed the hall on tiptoe beneath the cloak, and then walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest, gilding the top branches of the trees.**

**They reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. He was a minute in answering, and when he did, he looked all around for his visitor, pale-faced and trembling.**

"Poor Hagrid," Ginny said upset.

**"It's us," Harry hissed. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."**

**"Yeh should've come!" Hagrid whispered, but he stood back, and they stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door quickly and Harry pulled off the cloak.**

"Please Harry let us borrow your cloak?" The Twins pleaded. Harry just ignored them.

**Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon their necks. He looked like a man who did not know where he was or what to do. This helplessness was worse to watch than tears.**

"I don't want to ever see Hagrid like this again," the quartet said, barely above a whisper.

**"Wan' some tea?" he said. His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.**

**"Where's Buck beak, Hagrid?" said Hermione hesitantly.**

**"I — I took him outside," said Hagrid, spilling milk all over the table as he filled up the jug. "He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he ought to see the trees an' — an' smell fresh air — before —"**

Everyone (except Snape, Umbridge and Fudge) looked sad.

**Hagrid's hand trembled so violently that the milk jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.**

**"I'll do it, Hagrid," said Hermione quickly, hurrying over and starting to clean up the mess.**

**"There's another one in the cupboard," Hagrid said, sitting down and wiping his forehead on his sleeve. Harry glanced at Ron, who looked back hopelessly?**

**"Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked fiercely, sitting down next to him. "Dumbledore —"**

**"He's tried," said Hagrid. "He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told 'em Buck beaks all right, but they're scared… Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like… threatened 'em, I expect… an' the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o' Malfoy's… but it'll be quick an' clean… an' I'll be beside him…"**

**Hagrid swallowed. His eyes were darting all over the cabin as though looking for some shred of hope or comfort.**

**"Dumbledore's gonna come down while it — while it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter — ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore…"**

Dumbledore's Army nodded in agreement.

**Hermione, who had been rummaging in Hagrid's cupboard for another milk jug, let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She straightened up with the new jug in her hands, fighting back tears.**

**"We'll stay with you too, Hagrid," she began, but Hagrid shook his shaggy head.**

**"Yeh're ter go back up ter the castle. I told yeh, I don' wan' yeh watchin'. An' yeh shouldn' be down here anyway… If Fudge an' Dumbledore catch yeh out without permission, Harry, yeh'll be in big trouble."**

**Silent tears were now streaming down Hermione's face, but she hid them from Hagrid, bustling around making tea. Then, as she picked up the milk bottle to pour some into the jug, she let out a shriek.**

Everyone listen intently.

**"Ron, I don't believe it — it's Scabbers!"**

The Weasleys' glared at the book, at the mention of that rat.

Neville wondered why they were glaring at the mention of the rat. It was just a rat.

**Ron gaped at her.**

**"What are you talking about?"**

**Hermione carried the milk jug over to the table and turned it upside down. With a frantic squeak, and much scrambling to get back inside, Scabbers the rat came sliding out onto the table.**

**"Scabbers!" said Ron blankly. "Scabbers, what are you doing here?"**

**He grabbed the struggling rat and held him up to the light. Scabbers looked dreadful. He was thinner than ever, large tufts of hair had fallen out leaving wide bald patches, and he writhed in Ron's hands as though desperate to free himself**

"I wished your cat ate him Hermione," Harry whispered to her.

**"Its okay, Scabbers!" said Ron. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!"**

**Hagrid suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed on the window. His normally ruddy face had gone the color of parchment.**

**"They're comin'…"**

"Get out of there quick!" Collin said loudly, absorbed in the book.

**Fudge wondered how the 'beast' managed to escape. Now he was going to find out.**

**Harry, Ron, Jamie and Hermione whipped around. A group of men was walking down the distant castle steps. In front was Albus Dumbledore, his silver beard gleaming in the dying sun. Next to him trotted Cornelius Fudge. Behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner, Macnair.**

**"Yeh gotta go," said Hagrid. Every inch of him was trembling. "They mustn' find yeh here… Go now…"**

**Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Hermione picked up the cloak. "I'll let yeh out the back way," said Hagrid.**

**They followed him to the door into his back garden. Harry felt strangely unreal, and even more so when he saw Buck beak a few yards away, tethered to a tree behind Hagrid's pumpkin patch. Buck beak seemed to know something was happening. He turned his sharp head from side to side and pawed the ground nervously.**

**"Its okay, Beaky," said Hagrid softly. "It's okay…" He turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Go on," he said. "Get goin'."**

**But they didn't move.**

**"Hagrid, we can't —"**

**"We'll tell them what really happened —"**

**"They can't kill him —"**

**"Go!" said Hagrid fiercely. "It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"**

"You guys are really good friends to Hagrid," Cho and Luna said looking at the quartet. They smiled, they really missed Hagrid.

**They had no choice. As Hermione threw the cloak over Harry and Ron, they heard voices at the front of the cabin. Hagrid looked at the place where they had just vanished from sight.**

**"Go quick," he said hoarsely. "Don' listen…"**

**And he strode back into his cabin as someone knocked at the front door.**

**Slowly, in a kind of horrified trance, Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off silently around Hagrid's house. As they reached the other side, the front door closed with a sharp snap.**

**"Please, let's hurry," Hermione whispered. "I can't stand it, I can't bear it…"**

**They started up the sloping lawn toward the castle. The sun was sinking fast now; the sky had turned to a clear, purple-tinged gray, but to the west there was a ruby-red glow.**

**Ron stopped dead.**

**"Oh, please, Ron," Hermione began.**

**"It's Scabbers — he won't — stay put —"**

**"That rat." Ron said in a dangerously low voice.**

**Ron was bent over, trying to keep Scabbers in his pocket, but the rat was going berserk; squeaking madly, twisting and flailing, tries to sink his teeth into Ron's hand.**

**"Scabbers, it's me, you idiot, its Ron," Ron hissed.**

**They heard a door open behind them and men's voices.**

**"Oh, Ron, please let's move, they're going to do it!" Hermione breathed.**

**"Okay — Scabbers, stay put —"**

**They walked forward; Harry, like Hermione, was trying not to listen to the rumble of voices behind them. Ron stopped again.**

**"I can't hold him — Scabbers, shut up, everyone'll hear us —"**

Umbridge looked at the quartet, who glared at her before her starting to read again.

**The rat was squealing wildly, but not loudly enough to cover up the sounds drifting from Hagrid's garden. There was a jumble of indistinct male voices, a silence, and then, without warning,**

Everyone tensed, they knew what had happened.

**The unmistakable swish and thud of an axe.**

**Hermione swayed on the spot.**

**"They did it!" she whispered to Harry. "I'd — don't believe it — they did it!"**

The twinkle in Dumbledore's' eye had gone out.

Umbridge looked gleeful that Harry Potter's secrets were coming out as she turned to the next chapter.

**"Cat, Rat, and Dog"** she read.

'Odd chapter title' Umbridge thought

* * *

**Review Please I'll update the story anyway but it would be good to get a review or two to know what am I actually doing. Hope you enjoyed. Also read my Trip to past can change anything, that's Harry Potter fanfiction too.**

**XxNikkiGilbert180Xx**


	2. Cat, Rat, Dog

**Disclaimer : I do not own Harry Potter but I do own my OCs. I Hope you enjoy chapter but review guys, it would be very nice of you.**

* * *

"**Cat,Rat,and Dog**" Umbridge read.

**Harry's mind had gone blank with shock. The four of them stood transfixed with horror under the Invisibility Cloak. The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds. Then, behind them, they heard a wild howling.**

**"Hagrid," Jamie muttered. Without thinking about what Harry was doing, he made to turn back, but Jamie, Ron and Hermione seized his arms.**

"You always try to get into trouble, don't you" Cho stated, glancing at Harry.

**"We can't," said Ron, who was paper-white. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him…"**

**Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven.**

**"How — could — they?" she choked. "How could they?"**

'Because they sick' Ginny thought.

**"Come on," said Ron, whose teeth seemed to be chattering. They set off back toward the castle, walking slowly to keep themselves hidden under the cloak. The light was fading fast now.**

"They better get to the castle fast, if they don't want to get caught," Hannah Abbot said.

**By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them.**

**"Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed, clamping his hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you, You stupid rat? Stay still — OUCH! He bit me!"**

**"Ron, be quiet!" Hermione whispered urgently. "Fudge'll be out here in a minute —"**

**"He won't — stay — put —"**

**Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip.**

**"What's the matter with him?"**

**But Harry had just seen — stinking toward them, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness — Crookshanks. Whether he could see them or was after the sound of Scabbers's squeaks, Harry couldn't tell.**

**"Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"**

"What's your cat doing Hermione?" asked Neville asked.

"You'll see in a moment,"Hermione responded.

**But the cat was getting nearer — "Scabbers — NO!"**

**Too late — the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground, and scampered away. As Scabbers hit the ground a blur of orange rushed past Jamie's feet heading straight for escaped rat. Crookshanks sprang after Ron, and before any of them could stop him, Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness.**

"RON!" Ginny yelled.

"Ron!" Hermione moaned.

**Jamie, Hermione and Harry looked at each other, then followed at a sprint; it was impossible to run full-out under the cloak; they pulled it off and it streamed behind them like a banner as they hurtled after Ron;**

"This is the Golden Quartet getting into mischief, ladies and gentlemen" Fred said in a loud announcer's voice.

The students looked excitedly, they were finally going to find out the quartet get up to at the end of each year.

**they could hear his feet thundering along ahead and his shouts at Crookshanks.**

**"Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here —"**

**There was a loud thud.**

**"Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat —"**

**Jamie almost fell over Ron; they skidded to a stop right in front of him. He was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump.**

**"Ron — come on back under the cloak —" Hermione panted. "Dumbledore — the Minister — they'll be coming back out in a minute —"**

**But before they could cover themselves again, before they could even catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws… Something was bounding toward them, quiet as a shadow — an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog**

"The GRIM!" Every student in the Great Hall yelled. While Harry smiled slightly at mentioned of his godfather. Jamie looked at Padfoot who was nudging her and hugged him and whispered, "Whatever you hear Padfoot don't worry it's not true it was me just...you know and sorry whatever I say Padfoot. I love you" Remus heard this and smiled at her.

"It's just a big, black dog," Ginny said. " That just happens to look like the grim,"

**Harry reached for his wand, but too late — the dog had made an enormous leap and the front paws hit him on the chest; he keeled over backward in a whirl of hair; he felt its hot breath, saw inch-long teeth —But the force of its leap had carried it too far; it rolled off him. Dazed, feeling as though his ribs were broken, Harry tried to stand up; he could hear it growling as it skidded around for a new attack.**

**Ron was on his feet. As the dog sprang back toward them he pushed Harry aside; the dog's jaws fastened instead around Ron's outstretched arm. Harry lunged forward, he seized a handful of the brute's hair, but it was dragging Ron away as easily as though he were a rag doll —**

Several people gasped.

**Then, out of nowhere, something hit Harry so hard across the face he was knocked off his feet again. He heard Hermione shriek with pain and fall too. Jamie took out her wand but couldn't do anything she was just paralyzed.**

"No time for freezing! CONSTANT VIGILANCE" Moody growled at them. Many students jumped.

"What happened?" Ginny said, worry in her voice.

**Harry groped for his wand, blinking blood out of his eyes**

**"Lumos!" he whispered.**

**The wandlight showed him the trunk of a thick tree; they had chased Scabbers into the shadow of the Whomping Willow and its branches were creaking as though in a high wind, whipping backward and forward to stop them going nearer.**

**And there, at the base of the trunk, was the dog, dragging Ron backward into a large gap in the roots — Ron was fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight —**

**"Ron!" Harry shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped lethally through the air and he was forced backward again.**

**All they could see now was one of Ron's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground — but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot;**

"My Poor baby!" exclaimed Molly and hugged him son and Ron tried to wave her off.

"You broke your leg?" Fred asked. George and Ginny were staring at him waiting for an answer.

"Yeah, but it's in the past," Ron said awkwardly. The rest Weasley decided to let that one go.

**Ron's leg had broken,**

Molly whimpered.

**and a moment later, his foot vanished from sight.**

**"Harry — we've got to go for help —" Hermione gasped; she was bleeding too; the Willow had cut her across the shoulder.**

**"No! That thing's big enough to eat him; we haven't got time —"**

**"Harry — we're never going to get through without help —"**

**Another branch whipped down at them, twigs clenched like knuckles.**

McGonagall hoped that the Whomping Willow didn't harm them too much.

**"If that dog can get in, we can," Harry panted, darting here and there, trying to find a way through the vicious, swishing branches, but he couldn't get an inch nearer to the tree roots without being in range of the tree's blows.**

**"Oh, help, help," Hermione whispered frantically, dancing uncertainly on the spot, "Please…"**

**Crookshanks darted forward. He slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his front paws upon a knot on the trunk.**

**"Hermione never thought I would say this, but I love your cat " Ron said, then laughed at the stunned look on her face.**

**Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook.**

"What?" A student said, clearly confused.

**"Crookshanks!" Hermione whispered uncertainly. She now grasped Harry's arm painfully hard. "How did he know —?"**

**"He's friends with that dog," said Harry grimly. "I've seen them together. Come on — and keep your wand out —"They covered the distance to the trunk in seconds, but before they had reached the gap in the roots, Crookshanks had slid into it with a flick of his bottlebrush tail. Harry went next; he crawled forward, headfirst, and slid down an earthy slope to the bottom of a very low tunnel.**

**Crookshanks was a little way along, his eyes flashing in the light from Harry's wand. Seconds later, Hermione slithered down beside him.**

**"Where's Ron?" she whispered in a terrified voice.**

**"This way," said Harry, setting off, bent-backed, after Crookshanks.**

**"Where does this tunnel come out?" Hermione asked breathlessly from behind him.**

"We don't know where the tunnel leads to,"The Twins pouted.

**"I guess your going to find out than," Harry said simply.**

**"I don't know… It's marked on the Marauder's Map**

The professors' raised their eyebrows at this. The Marauders' had a map?

"Potter,what map?" McGonagall asked Harry.

"Er- Well" he replied nervously Um-it-"

"What does it do?"

"It shows everyone at Hogwarts and what they're doing" The Twins said "Don't know who the Marauder's are though, brilliant they are."

The Professors' thought 'only they would think they were brilliant, if they only know what they dealt with.'

**but Fred and George said no one's ever gotten into it… It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading for Hogsmeade… Did Fred or George mentioned anything Jamie ?"**

**"They haven't" she answered. "They never got to explore this once the tree was planted top of it. I'm not sure where it goes"**

**They moved as fast as they could, bent almost double; ahead of them, Crookshanks's tail bobbed in and out of view. On and on went the passage; it felt at least as long as the one to Honeydukes… All Harry could think of was Ron and what the enormous dog might be doing to him… He was drawing breath in sharp, painful gasps, running at a crouch…**

**And then the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Crookshanks had gone. Ahead Harry could see a patch of dim light through a small opening.**

**He and Hermione paused, gasping for breath, edging forward. Both raised their wands to see what lay beyond.**

Everyone was listening intently.

**It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up**

"Where are you guys?" Neville asked, not really wanting an answer, which didn't come.

**Harry glanced at Hermione, who looked very frightened but nodded.**

**Harry pulled himself out of the hole, staring around. The room was deserted, but a door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway. Hermione suddenly grabbed Harry's arm again. Her wide eyes were traveling around the boarded windows.**

"Nervous much" The twins said trying to ease the mood in the room.

**"Harry," she whispered, "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack."**

**Harry looked around. His eyes fell on a wooden chair near them. Large chunks had been torn out of it; one of the legs had been ripped off entirely. **

"Ghost didn't do that," Ginny said

**"Ghosts didn't do that," he said slowly.**

"Hey GinGin and Harrykins think alike" The twins and Lee said together.

**At that moment, there was a creak overhead. Something had moved upstairs. Both of them looked up at the ceiling. Hermione's grip on Harry's arm was so tight he was losing feeling in his fingers.**

"Sorry" Hermione flushed.

He raised his eyebrows at her; she nodded again and let go.

**Quietly as they could, they crept out into the hall and up the crumbling staircase. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust except the floor, where a wide shiny stripe had been made by something being dragged upstairs.**

Everyone was getting worried for Ron's safety, even though all ready happened.

**They reached the dark landing.**

**"Nox," they whispered together, and the lights at the end of their wands went out. Only one door was open. As they crept toward it, they heard movement from behind it; a low moan, and then a deep, loud purring. They exchanged a last look, a last nod.**

**Wand held tightly before him, Harry kicked the door wide open.**

**On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks, purring loudly at the sight of them. On the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which stuck out at a strange angle, was Ron.**

"At least your safe," Neville said

"This all ready happened," Ron said staring at Neville, who knew Neville wasn't that bright, but certainly how knew this was a book.

" I know, I was talking to your book-self". came the answer, they weren't excepting.

"OK, moving on" Harry said**.**

**Harry and Hermione dashed across to him, but Jamie stayed back and slowly scanned the room.**

"Why 'Amie don't care about me?" asked Ron giving Jamie a mocked-hurt look.

"No Ron, I dearly love you" said Jamie sarcastically. And decided to play along with it.

"I knew you loved me"

"You caught me!"

"Ok you two we get it. You both are very dramatic" said Harry while Fred looked jealous with the exchange between them. Remus smiled secretly at Fred because he could literally smell jealousy off him.

**"Ron — are you okay?"**

**"Where's the dog?"**

**"Not a dog," Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain. "Harry, it's a trap —"**

**The Minister was listening intently. He finally going to find out where Sirius Black's location was. Umbridge and Amelia were thinking the same thing.**

**"What —"**

**"He's the dog… he's an Animagus."**

"So that how Black escaped!" Fudge said loudly and triumphed. Fudge had a weird feeling Harry was staring right through him.

**Ron was staring over Harry's shoulder. Harry wheeled around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them.**

**A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black.**

**The people around him gasp some even screamed; Harry just rolled his eye at the antics.**

**They were scared for them, even though it all ready happened, they were still scared. Umbridge seemed happy that Harry Potter might get harmed in the encounter with Black.**

**"Expelliarmus!" he croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them.**

**Harry's, Jamie's and Hermione's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, and Black caught them. Then he took a step closer. His eyes were fixed on Harry.**

**"I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely. His voice sounded as though he had long since lost the habit of using it. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful… it will make everything much easier…"**

"Why didn't you guys run for a teacher?" Collin asked frightened.

"Umm..maybe cause it was too far and he had a wand on him" Ron said acting dumb.

**The taunt about his father rang in Harry's ears as though Black had bellowed it. A boiling hate erupted in Harry's chest, leaving no place for fear. For the first time in his life, he wanted his wand back in his hand, not to defend himself, but to attack… to kill.**

No one dared to comment, but Malfoy looked like he wanted to see something but bit his tongue.

**Without knowing what he was doing, he started forward, but there was a sudden movement on either side of him and two pairs of hands grabbed him and held him back…"No, Harry!" Hermione gasped in a petrified whisper; Ron, however, spoke to Black.**

**"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" he said fiercely,**

The Professors' were just has shocked has the students, that they would do that for each. They were only thirteen, well Harry was the only thirteen year old there but still though the effort of standing upright was draining him of still more color, and he swayed slightly as he spoke.

**Something flickered in Black's shadowed eyes.**

**"Lie down," he said quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more."**

'Why does he care?' Seamus thought.

**"Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Harry to stay upright. "You'll have to kill all three of us!"**

"Wow" Cho muttered.

**"There'll be only one murder here tonight," said Black, and his grin widened.**

**"Why's that?" Harry spat, trying to wrench himself free of Ron, and Hermione. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew… What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"**

**"Harry!" Hermione whimpered. "Be quiet!"**

"Listen to her." Katie said worried for him.

**"HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry roared, and with a huge effort he broke free of Hermione's and Ron's restraint and lunged forward — But Jamie got there first and punched Black in the face.**

There was a minute of silence in Hall then there was a Loud 'What?!' from the Hall even Teacher exclaimed at her and looked at her in disbelief.

Jamie buried her head in Padfoot's fur while he kept still. Many students noticed this, It was as if the dog knew what was going on.

Jamie looked up from Padfoot and shrugged her shoulders and said, "Not many can say that they have punched their father."

**Next Harry himself jumped on black momentarily he had forgotten about magic — he had forgotten that he was short and skinny and thirteen, whereas Black was a tall, full-grown man — all Harry knew was that he wanted to hurt Black as badly as he could and that he didn't care how much he got hurt in return —**

**Perhaps it was the shock of Harry doing something so stupid, but Black didn't raise the wands in time — one of Harry's hands fastened over his wasted wrist, forcing the wand tips away; the knuckles of Harry's other hand collided with the side of Black's head and they fell, backward, into the wall —**

**Hermione was screaming; Ron was yelling; **

As were many students in the Great Hall.

**there was a blinding flash as the wands in Black's hand sent a jet of sparks into the air that missed Harry's face by inches; Harry felt the shrunken arm under his fingers twisting madly, but he clung on, his other hand punching every part of Black it could find.**

**But Black's free hand had found Harry's throat**

**"No," he hissed, "I've waited too long —"**

**The fingers tightened, Harry choked, his glasses askew.**

**Then he saw Hermione's foot swing out of nowhere. Black let go of Harry with a grunt of pain; Ron had thrown himself on Black's wand hand and Harry heard a faint clatter —**

**He fought free of the tangle of bodies and saw his own wand rolling across the floor; he threw himself toward it but "Argh!" Crookshanks had joined the fray;**

"I never liked your cat Hermione." Dean said to her. Hermione frowned; did anyone like Crookshanks?

**both sets of front claws had sunk themselves deep into Harry's arm; Harry threw him off, but Crookshanks now darted toward Harry's wand —**

**"NO YOU DON'T!" roared Harry, and he aimed a kick at Crookshanks that made the cat leap aside, spitting; Harry snatched up his wand and turned —**

**"Get out of the way!" he shouted at Ron, Jamie and Hermione.**

**They didn't need telling twice. Hermione, gasping for breath, her lip bleeding, scrambled aside, snatching up her and Ron's wands. Ron crawled to the four-poster and collapsed onto it, panting, his white face now tinged with green, both hands clutching his broken leg**

"How stupid can you get?" Malfoy said, everyone just ignored him.

**Black was sprawled at the bottom of the wall. His thin chest rose and fell rapidly as he watched Harry walking slowly nearer, his wand pointing straight at Black's heart.**

**"Going to kill me, Harry?" he whispered.**

**Harry stopped right above him, his wand still pointing at Black's chest, looking down at him. A livid bruise was rising around Black's left eye and his nose was bleeding.**

**"You killed my parents," said Harry, his voice shaking slightly, but his wand hand quite steady.**

'I would do that if someone betrayed my parents' Ginny thought.

**Black stared up at him out of those sunken eyes.**

**"I don't deny it," he said very quietly. "But if you knew the whole story."**

"What whole story?" Umbridge said looking at Harry.

"You'll find out if you keep reading" Ron said for Harry.

**"We know the whole story!" Jamie shouted furiously ,"And even if we didn't, you killed innocent people for no reason! Nothing can justify that. You betrayed Harry's parents and my mother, your own wife!"**

Jamie buried her face in Padfoot's fur and didn't let go this time.

**"You've got to listen to me," Black said, and there was a note of urgency in his voice now. "You'll regret it if you don't… You don't understand…"**

**"I understand a lot better than you think," said Harry, and his voice shook more than ever. "You never heard her, did you? My mum… trying to stop Voldemort killing me…My Aunt...shouting for my mother to go run with me...and you did that… you did it…"**

**Before either of them could say another word, something ginger streaked past Harry; Crookshanks leapt onto Black's chest and settled himself there, right over Black's heart. Black blinked and looked down at the cat.**

'What's the cat playing at?' Dean thought, and some others were also thinking the same thing.

**"Get off," he murmured, trying to push Crookshanks off him.**

**But Crookshanks sank his claws into Black's robes and wouldn't shift. He turned his ugly, squashed face to Harry and looked up at him with those great yellow eyes. To his right, Hermione gave a dry sob.**

**Harry stared down at Black and Crookshanks, his grip tightening on the wand. So what if he had to kill the cat too? It was in league with Black… If it was prepared to die, trying to protect Black, that wasn't Harry's business… If Black wanted to save it, that only proved he cared more for Crookshanks than for Harry's parents…**

**Harry raised the wand. Now was the moment to do it. Now was the moment to avenge his mother and father. He was going to kill Black. He had to kill Black. This was his chance…**

'Do it' was replaying itself in Neville's mind.

**The seconds lengthened. And still Harry stood frozen there, wand poised, Black staring up at him, Crookshanks on his chest. Ron's ragged breathing came from near the bed; Hermione was quite silent.**

**Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor — someone was moving downstairs.**

**"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed suddenly. "WE'RE UP HERE — SIRIUS BLACK — QUICK!"**

**Black made a startled movement that almost dislodged Crookshanks; Harry gripped his wand convulsively — Do it now! said a voice in his head but the footsteps were thundering up the stairs and Harry still hadn't done it.**

**The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and Harry wheeled around as Professor Lupin came hurtling into the room,**

Some people sighed in relief.

**his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering next to the door, to Harry, standing there with his wand covering Black, and then to Black himself, crumpled and bleeding at Harry's feet.**

**"Expelliarmus!" Lupin shouted.**

**Harry's wand flew once more out of his hand;**

"So his helping Black!" Umbridge snapped.

"No, you toad!" Ginny snapped back at her.

**so did Jamie and Hermione was holding. Lupin caught them all deftly, then moved into the room, staring at Black, who still had Crookshanks lying protectively across his chest.**

**Harry stood there, feeling suddenly empty. He hadn't done it. His nerve had failed him. Black was going to be handed back to the Dementors. Then Lupin spoke, in a very tense voice.**

**"Where is he, Sirius?"**

"Why is the he using his first name?" Pansy surprisingly asked. Malfoy,Crabbe, and Goyle just stared at her dumbfounded.

"What is there something wrong with asking a question?" She snapped at them.

"Must be PMSing" Harry whispered to Ron who snorted.

Harry looked quickly at Lupin. He didn't understand what Lupin meant. Who was Lupin talking about? He turned to look at Black again.

**Black's face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron. Mystified, Harry glanced around at Ron, who looked bewildered.**

**"But then…" Lupin muttered, staring at Black so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind, "… why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless" — Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, "— unless he was the one… unless you switched… without telling me?"**

**Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Lupin's face, Black nodded.**

**"Professor," Jamie interrupted loudly, "what's going on —?"**

"That's what I would like to know too." Dean said for the rest of the Hall, staring at the book.

**But she never finished the question, because what he saw made his voice die in his throat. Lupin was lowering his wand, gazing fixed at Black. The Professor walked to Black's side, seized his hand, pulled him to his feet so that Crookshanks fell to the floor, and embraced Black like a brother.**

"What?" Was the teachers' got burst ( except Dumbledore,McGonagall, and Snape).

**Harry felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach.**

**"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.**

"Neither do we." Dean and Cho said shocked. One of best DADA teachers' helping a murder...

**Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wild-eyed. "You — you —"**

**"Hermione —"**

**"– you and him!"**

**"Hermione, calm down —"**

**"I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for you —"**

'Covering what?" Fudge and Umbridge snapped at Hermione.

'They should know about him being a werewolf' she thought.

**"Hermione, listen to me, please" Lupin shouted. "I can explain —"**

**"Don't you dare you finish that sentence Hermione" Jamie spat. Hermione glared at her and announced loudly, "He's a werewolf! That's why he's been missing classes."**

Everyone except the people knew he was a werewolf gasped and looked at other in shock, dumbfounded of what to say.

**"You swore!" cried Jamie.**

**Harry could feel himself shaking, not with fear, but with a fresh wave of fury.**

**"I trusted you," he shouted at Lupin, his voice wavering, out of control, "and all the time you've been his friend!"**

**"You're wrong," said Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now — Let me explain…"**

**There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale.**

**"Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead." An odd shiver passed over his face. "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."**

**Ron made a valiant effort to get up again but fell back with a whimper of pain. Lupin made toward him, looking concerned, but Ron gasped, "Get away from me, werewolf!"**

Ron sighed and looked at his feet avoiding the looks he was getting.

**Lupin stopped dead. Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, "How long have you known?"**

**"Ages," Hermione whispered. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay…"**

**"He'll be delighted," said Lupin coolly. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant… Did you check the lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the Boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"**

**"Both," Hermione said quietly.**

**Lupin forced a laugh.**

**"You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."**

All the Gryffindors' nodded in agreement.

**"I'm not," Hermione whispered. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!"**

**"But they already know," said Lupin. "At least, the staff do."**

**"Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf," Ron gasped. "Is he mad?"**

"Sorry Professor." Ron said to Dumbledore who only smiled.

**"Some of the staff thought so," said Lupin. "He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy —"**

**"AND HE WAS WRONG!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!"**

**He was pointing at Black, who suddenly crossed to the four-poster bed and sank onto it, his face hidden in one shaking hand. Crookshanks leapt up beside him and stepped onto his lap, purring. Ron edged away from both of them, dragging his leg.**

**"I have not been helping Sirius," said Lupin. "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look —"**

**He separated Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's wands and threw each back to its owner; Harry caught his, stunned.**

**"There," said Lupin, sticking his own wand back into his belt "You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"**

"Is it a trick?" Cho asked Harry, who said nothing.

**Harry didn't know what to think. Was it a trick?**

"Harry and Cho think alike too" Lee said before the twins got the chance to even open their mouths. Cho and Harry just blushed.

**"If you haven't been helping him," he said, with a furious glance at Black, "how did you know he was here?"**

**"The map," said Lupin. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it —"**

**"You know how to work it?" Harry said suspiciously.**

**"Of course I know how to work it," said Lupin, waving his hand impatiently. "I helped write it. I'm Moony — that was my friends'**

"We were taught by a Marauder!" the Twins and Lee said, while their mouths dropped open.

"Yup" Harry said smirking.

"You stayed at his house this summer" Hermione whispered, knowing that everyone was listening. The twins eyes went as round as galleons.

"Who's Prongs?" They and Lee said excitedly. Harry's smirk became even wider along with Ron and Hermione's.

"Harry's Prongs Jr." Ron said. At that the Twins and Lee got up and rushed to hug Harry. Ron and Hermione laughed at Harry's disgruntled face. Then they looked at Jamie who mementarily looked up and hugged her, " Padette"

**nickname for me at school."**

**You wrote —?"**

**"The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his Hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?"**

"Yeah" The quartet said together.

**He had started to pace up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rose at his feet.**

**"You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry—"**

**"How d'you know about the cloak?"**

**"The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…" said Lupin,**

**'So that's how they bearly got sneaking around' McGonagall thought**

**waving an impatient hand again.**

**"The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."**

**"What?" said Harry. "No, we weren't!"**

**"I couldn't believe my eyes," said Lupin, still pacing, and ignoring Harry's interruption. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"**

"Who?" Everyone said.

**"No one was with us!" said Harry.**

**"And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black… I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow —"**

**"One of us!" Ron said angrily.**

**"No, Ron," said Lupin. "Two of you."**

**He had stopped his pacing, his eyes moving over Ron.**

**"Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" he said evenly.**

**"What?" said Ron. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"**

**"Everything," said Lupin. "Could I see him, please?"**

**Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long bald tail to stop him escaping. Crookshanks stood up on Black's leg and made a soft hissing noise.**

**Lupin moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers.**

**"What?" Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"**

**"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius Black suddenly.**

**Muttering had started going around the Great Hall, it wasn't a rat?**

**"What d'you mean — of course he's a rat —"**

**"No, he's not," said Lupin quietly. "He's a wizard."**

**"An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."**

"THIS BOOK CAN'T BE RIGHT, THIS BOOK IS WRONG, PETER PETTIGREW IS DEAD! BLACK MURDERED HIM!" Fudge and Umbridge yelled.

"Please calm down" Dumbledore said calmly " the book isn't wrong". Fudge just looked at him.

"The book is wrong if the Minister says it is." Umbridge snapped.

"THE BOOK IS RIGHT!" Harry and Jamie yelled is loudest, temper raising. The people around them covered actually covered there ears, Ron and Hermione put their hands on his shoulders in atempt to stop Harry and Jamie from doing anything.

Everyone was looking at Harry, he was usually quiet who knew he could be so loud when the wanted to?

Then later their was flash of light blinding almost whole hall, Aurors in that room took out thier wands out.

* * *

**Please Read and Review guys!**


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